Paving machine

ABSTRACT

A paving machine having a frame extending along a longitudinal direction is provided. The frame defines a front portion, a rear portion and two lateral sides. A hopper is coupled to the front portion of the frame. A screed is coupled to the rear portion of the frame. A conveyor is configured to transfer a paving material from the hopper to the screed along the longitudinal direction. The paving machine includes two pairs of ground engaging members of different types and powered independently of each other, one pair of ground engaging members being disposed towards the front portion and other pair of ground engaging members being disposed towards the rear portion of the frame.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to paving machines with different combinations of ground engaging members.

BACKGROUND

Work machines may be propelled by using different types of ground engaging members, for example, rubber wheels or endless metal (or rubber) belts that are disposed on opposite sides of the machine. Work machines which utilize a track type drive mechanism have certain advantages over work machines which utilize a wheel type drive mechanism. For instance, the tracks in the work machine provide better traction by spreading the weight of the machine over a large area, giving such work machine enhanced off-road capabilities. However, other work machines which utilize wheel type drive mechanism are more capable for faster transport when the work machine is required to move from one job location to another. There is also a need that the paving machine may carry a large quantity of the paving material in a hopper so as to reduce the number of filling tasks during the operation of the paving machine.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,714,870 relates to a machine for distributing and compacting paving mix on a paving surface. The machine includes a mix unloading section, an auger, a screed, a first drive arrangement, and a second drive arrangement. The auger distributes the mix on a paving surface. The screed compacts the mix on a paving surface. The first drive arrangement includes road wheels for self-transport at highway speeds. The second drive arrangement includes a track assembly for jobsite transportation during a paving operation.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In one aspect of the present disclosure, a paving machine is provided. The paving machine includes a frame extending along a longitudinal direction. The frame defines a front portion, a rear portion and two lateral sides. A hopper is coupled to the front portion of the frame. A screed is coupled to the rear portion of the frame. A conveyor is configured to transfer a paving material from the hopper to the screed along the longitudinal direction. A pair of oval track units is disposed on each of the two lateral sides, towards the front portion of the frame. A pair of high drive track units is disposed on each of the two lateral sides, towards the rear portion of the frame.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, a paving machine is provided. The paving machine includes a frame extending along a longitudinal direction. The frame defines a front portion, a rear portion and two lateral sides. A hopper is coupled to the front portion of the frame. A screed is coupled to the rear portion of the frame. A conveyor is configured to transfer a paving material from the hopper to the screed along the longitudinal direction. A pair of one or more bogie wheels is disposed on each of the two lateral sides, towards the front portion of the frame. A pair of high drive track units is disposed on each of the two lateral sides, towards the rear portion of the frame.

In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a paving machine is provided. The paving machine includes a frame extending along a longitudinal direction. The frame defines a front portion, a rear portion and two lateral sides. A hopper is coupled to the front portion of the frame. A screed is coupled to the rear portion of the frame. A conveyor is configured to transfer a paving material from the hopper to the screed along the longitudinal direction. A pair of oval track units is disposed on each of the two lateral sides, towards the front portion of the frame. A pair of drive wheels is disposed on each of the two lateral sides, towards the rear portion of the frame.

Other features and aspects of this disclosure will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary paving machine, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the paving machine, according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the paving machine, according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 4 is a side view of the paving machine, according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to specific aspects or features, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, corresponding or similar reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or corresponding parts.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary perspective view of a paving machine, generally designated by the numeral 100. As illustrated, the paving machine 100 embodies a work machine used in various applications to apply a material, such as asphalt, on roadways or other surfaces. The paving machine 100 may be configured to perform operations associated with industries, such as mining, construction, farming, etc. and operates in work environments like construction site, mine site, power plants, etc. The paving machine 100 includes a frame 102 to support various components. The frame 102 may extend along a longitudinal direction ‘L’ in the paving machine 100. The frame 102 may define a front portion 104, a rear portion 106 and two lateral sides 108, 110. It may be understood that the front portion 104 and the rear portion 106 have been defined along a longitudinal length of the paving machine 100 for describing the relative positions of the various components.

The paving machine 100 may include various assemblies including, but not limited to, a hopper 112, a conveyor 113, an operator station 114, an auger 115 and a screed 116. The hopper 112 may be coupled to the front portion 104 of the paving machine 100 and configured to contain a material required to be applied on a work surface, such as roadways or other surfaces. The conveyor 113 may be configured to transfer the material from the hopper 112 to the auger 115 along the longitudinal direction ‘L’. The conveyor 113 has been shown as a belt conveyor; however it may be contemplated that the conveyor 113 may be a screw conveyor or any other type of material transfer arrangement. The operator station 114 may be disposed in the rear portion 106 of the paving machine 100. The operator station 114 may include a control console 118 used by a machine operator to control various operations, such as paving operation of the paving machine 100. The auger 115 may be configured to distribute the material received from the hopper 112 across a width of the work surface. The screed 116 may be coupled to the rear portion 106 of the paving machine 100. The screed 116 may be configured to flatten and deposit the material on the work surface.

The paving machine 100 may also include a power source (not illustrated) disposed within the frame 102 to drive the various components. The power source may be an internal combustion engine like petrol engine or a diesel engine, an electrical source like a series of batteries, or the like. The power source may be disposed in the rear portion 106 of the frame 102, for example, below the operator station 114. The paving machine 100 may further include a front axle and a rear axle (not shown) disposed in the front portion 104 and the rear portion 106, respectively, and operatively coupled to the power source by suitable means such as drive shafts for driving the paving machine 100. The paving machine 100, generally, includes two pairs of ground engaging members, generally represented and indicated by the numeral 120 in FIG. 1, one pair being disposed towards the front portion 104 and operatively connected to the front axle, and other pair being disposed towards the rear portion 106 and operatively connected to the rear axle. It may be understood that the two pairs of ground engaging members 120 may be powered independent to each other in the paving machine 100.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of a paving machine, embodied as paving machine 200, in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The paving machine 200 includes a pair of oval track units 210 and a pair of high drive track units 220, as the ground engaging members 120. In the side view illustration of FIG. 2, only one oval track unit and one high drive track unit are shown arranged in the lateral side 108, and indicated by the same numerals of the corresponding pairs, i.e., 210 and 220 respectively. It may be contemplated that the two oval track units, in the pair of oval track units 210, have an identical structure and are disposed on each of the two lateral sides 108, 110 of the frame 102. Similarly, the two high drive track units, in the pair of high drive track units 220, have an identical structure and are disposed on each of the two lateral sides 108, 110 of the frame 102.

In an embodiment, the pair of oval track units 210 may be disposed towards the front portion 104 of the frame 102 and below the hopper 112 of the paving machine 200. Further, the pair of high drive track units 220 may be disposed towards the rear portion 106 of the frame 102 and below the operator station 114 of the paving machine 200. As illustrated, the pair of high drive track units 220 may be disposed behind the pair of oval track units 210 and in front of the screed 116 along the longitudinal direction ‘L’ in the paving machine 200. Further, as could be seen from FIG. 2, a height ‘H1’ of the pair of the oval track units 210 is lower than a height ‘H2’ of the pair of high drive track units 220. This results in a lower height for the frame 102 towards the front portion 104 as compared to the rear portion 106.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the oval track unit 210 includes an idler wheel 212 and a driving sprocket 214. The idler wheel 212 and the driving sprocket 214 may be spaced apart in the longitudinal direction ‘L’. In one example, the oval track unit 210 may also include support idler wheels (not shown) between the idler wheel 212 and the driving sprocket 214, depending on the space between the idler wheel 212 and the driving sprocket 214. The oval track unit 210 also includes an endless track 216 entrained about the idler wheel 212 and the driving sprocket 214. It may be understood that the driving sprocket 214 is employed in the oval track unit 210, for example, in case when the endless track 216 is a steel track. In one example, the oval track unit 210 may include a driving wheel (not illustrated) instead of the driving sprocket 214, such as, in case when the endless track 216 is a rubber track. Further, the high drive track unit 220 includes two idler wheels, indicated by the same numeral 222, spaced apart in the longitudinal direction ‘L’, and multiple supporting idler wheels 223. The high drive track unit 220 also includes a driving sprocket 224 disposed longitudinally between and vertically above the two idler wheels 222. The high drive track unit 220 further includes an endless track 226 entrained about the two idler wheels 222 and the driving sprocket 224 in a generally triangular configuration. In an example, the front axle may be operatively connected to the pair of oval track units 210, or specifically the driving sprockets 214 thereof, and the rear axle may be operatively connected to the pair of high drive track units 220, or specifically the driving sprockets 224 thereof, for driving the paving machine 200.

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of a paving machine, embodied as paving machine 300, in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure. The paving machine 300 includes a pair of one or more bogie wheels 310 and a pair of high drive track units 320, as the ground engaging members 120. In an embodiment, the one or more bogie wheels 310, referred herein, is a set of bogie wheels 310. In the side view illustration of FIG. 3, one set of bogie wheels and one high drive track unit are shown arranged in the lateral side 108, and indicated by the same numerals of the corresponding pairs, i.e., 310 and 320 respectively. It may be contemplated that the two sets of bogie wheels, in the pair of one or more bogie wheels 310, have an identical structure and are disposed on each of the two lateral sides 108, 110 of the frame 102. Similarly, the two high drive track units, in the pair of high drive track units 320, have an identical structure and are disposed on each of the two lateral sides 108, 110 of the frame 102.

In an embodiment, the pair of one or more bogie wheels 310 may be disposed towards the front portion 104 of the frame 102 and below the hopper 112 of the paving machine 300. Further, the pair of high drive track units 320 may be disposed towards the rear portion 106 of the frame 102 and below the operator station 114 of the paving machine 300. As illustrated, the pair of high drive track units 320 may be disposed behind the pair of one or more bogie wheels 310 and in front of the screed 116 along the longitudinal direction ‘L’ of the paving machine 300. Further, as could be seen from FIG. 3, a height ‘H3’ of the pair of the one or more bogie wheels 310 is lower than a height ‘H4’ of the pair of high drive track units 320. This results in a lower height for the frame 102 towards the front portion 104 as compared to the rear portion 106.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the set of bogie wheels 310 includes two bogie wheels 312, 314. Further, the high drive track unit 320, of the pair of high drive track units 320, includes two idler wheels, indicated by the same numeral 322, spaced apart in the longitudinal direction ‘L’, and multiple supporting idler wheels 323. The high drive track unit 320 also includes a driving sprocket 324 disposed longitudinally between and vertically above the two idler wheels 322. The high drive track unit 320 further includes an endless track 326 entrained about the two idler wheels 322 and the driving sprocket 324 in a generally triangular configuration. In an example, the front axle may be operatively connected to the set of bogie wheels 310, or specifically to each of the two bogie wheels 312, 314 via, for example, a hydraulic drive or the like, and the rear axle may be operatively connected to the pair of high drive track units 320, or specifically the driving sprockets 326 thereof, for driving the paving machine 300.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of a paving machine, embodied as paving machine 400, in accordance with a third embodiment of the present disclosure. The paving machine 400 includes a pair of oval track units 410 and a pair of drive wheels 420, as the ground engaging members 120. In the side view illustration of FIG. 4, only one oval track unit and one drive wheel are shown arranged in the lateral side 108, and indicated by the same numerals of the corresponding pairs, i.e., 410 and 420 respectively. It may be contemplated that the two oval track units, in the pair of oval track units 410, have an identical structure and are disposed on each of the two lateral sides 108, 110 of the frame 102. Similarly, the two drive wheels, in the pair of drive wheels 420, have an identical structure and are disposed on each of the two lateral sides 108, 110 of the frame 102.

In an embodiment, the pair of oval track units 410 may be disposed towards the front portion 104 of the frame 102 and below the hopper 112 of the paving machine 400. Further, the pair of drive wheels 420 may be disposed towards the rear portion 106 of the frame 102 and below the operator station 114 of the paving machine 400. As illustrated, the pair of drive wheels 420 may be disposed behind the pair of oval track units 410 and in front of the screed 116 along the longitudinal direction ‘L’ of the paving machine 400. Further, as could be seen from FIG. 4, a height ‘H5’ of the pair of the oval track units 410 is lower than a height ‘H6’ of the pair of drive wheels 420. This results in a lower height for the frame 102 towards the front portion 104 as compared to the rear portion 106, in the paving machine 400.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the oval track unit 410, of the pair of oval track units 410, includes an idler wheel 412 and a driving sprocket 414. The idler wheel 412 and the driving sprocket 414 may be spaced apart in the longitudinal direction ‘L’. In one example, the oval track unit 410 may also include support idler wheels (not shown) between the idler wheel 412 and the driving sprocket 414, depending on the space between the idler wheel 412 and the driving sprocket 414. The oval track unit 410 also includes an endless track 416 entrained about the idler wheel 412 and the driving sprocket 414. It may be understood that the driving sprocket 414 is employed in the oval track unit 410, for example, in case when the endless track 416 is a steel track. In one example, the oval track unit 410 may include a driving wheel (not illustrated) instead of the driving sprocket 414, such as, in case when the endless track 416 is a rubber track. In an example, the front axle may be operatively connected to the pair of oval track units 410, or specifically the driving sprockets 414 thereof, and the rear axle may be operatively connected to the pair of drive wheels 420 for driving the paving machine 400.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the hopper 112 defines a base 122. In one example, the base 122 defines a downward slope in the longitudinal direction ‘L’, moving from the front portion 104 towards the rear portion 106 of the frame 102. The conveyor 113 may also be disposed at the same downward slope, moving from the front portion 104 towards the rear portion 106 of the frame 102. In another example, the base 122 may be a flat surface.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

In operation of a paving machine, the paving material is dumped from a dump truck in a hopper. The paving material dumped in the hopper is received by a conveyor which moves the material through a conveyor tunnel to a distributing auger. The auger is configured to distribute the material received from the hopper across the width of a work surface. The material laid on the work surface is paved by a screed which is configured to float over the work surface and flatten the material on the work surface to form a mat.

However the work sites or paths leading to the various work sites may provide varying conditions for the paving machine to travel on. For example, some paths may provide low traction, such as snow laden roads, while some paths may provide slope conditions like a steep uphill road, while some work sites may provide rough terrain to work on.

In the embodiments of the present disclosure, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the ground engaging members 120 have been so selected and disposed to provide three different configurations, the paving machines 200, 300, 400, such that each of the different configurations provides certain advantages over the paving machines known in the art. The paving machines 200, 300, 400 are capable to perform the paving operations in different types of work sites with varying terrain conditions and further be driven/traverse on varying road conditions to reach the work sites.

The paving machine 200, as illustrated in FIG. 2, having the oval track units 210 combined with the high drive track units 220 provides some advantages not heretofore known in the existing paving machines. The combination/arrangement of the ground engaging members 120, i.e., the oval track units 210 and the high drive track units 220 provide a broad area of support and improved traction where the endless track 216, 226 engages with the ground for supporting the paving machine 200. This may be particularly helpful for paving machines loaded with the paving material and/or travelling on a sloped path. Using two separate track units may also provide better maneuverability of the paving machine 200 compared to the existing paving machines, for example, paving machines with single track arrangement.

The paving machine 300, as illustrated in FIG. 3, having the combination/arrangement of the ground engaging members 120, i.e., the bogie wheels 310 and the high drive track units 320 also provides some advantages not heretofore known in the existing paving machines. In the present configuration, the high drive track units 320 provide improved stability to minimize factors such as, bounce and deflection, which are inherent in the existing paving machines, for example, paving machines with drive wheels. Further, the bogie wheels 310 may be optionally driven to improve a speed of travel of the paving machine 300, for example, when the paving machine 300 is travelling on levelled roads to reach the work site.

The paving machine 400, as illustrated in FIG. 4, having the combination/arrangement of the ground engaging members 120, i.e., the oval track units 410 and the drive wheels 420 also provides some advantages not heretofore known in the existing paving machines. In the present configuration, the oval track units 410 provide a broad area of support and improved traction where the endless track 416 engages with the ground for supporting the paving machine 400 loaded with the paving material and/or travelling on a sloped path, while the drive wheels 420 disposed in the rear portion 106 provide faster speed of travel for the paving machine 300.

Further, it may be seen that in each of the three different embodiments of the paving machines 200, 300, 400, the height of the front portion 104 is lower than the height of the rear portion 106 of the frame 102. This allows that the base 122 of the hopper 104 may be arranged at a lower height in the front portion 104 compared to the existing paving machines which typically have the front portion and the rear portion at a same height above the ground. Therefore, the present embodiments of the paving machines 200, 300, 400 provide more scope to increase the height of the hopper 112 without blocking the operator's vision of the path and/or disturbing a balance of the paving machines 200, 300, 400 since front portion 104, being of lower height, provides a center of gravity closer to the ground. This increase in height in turn leads to increase in volume of the hopper 112, which allows the paving machines 200, 300, 400 to carry more paving material during the paving operation.

It may be contemplated by a person skilled in the art that the embodiments of the paving machines 200, 300, 400 also provide more scope to utilize the hopper 112 with the base 122 which defines a downward slope in the longitudinal direction ‘L’, moving from the front portion 104 towards the rear portion 106 of the frame 102, without sacrificing significantly the volume to carry the paving material. The downward slope would lead to enhanced transfer of paving material from the hopper 112 in the front portion 104 to the screed 116 in the rear portion 106, and may also help to reduce accumulation of the paving material in the hopper 112 of the paving machines 200, 300, 400.

The configurations disclosed in the present disclosure may also provide more favorable economics in that the combination of relatively smaller ground engaging members 120 would streamline production, reduce parts, reduce costs, and be easier to service, etc.

While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems and methods without departing from the spirit and scope of what is disclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claims and any equivalents thereof 

What is claimed is:
 1. A paving machine comprising: a frame extending along a longitudinal direction, the frame having a front portion, a rear portion and two lateral sides; a hopper coupled to the front portion of the frame; a screed coupled to the rear portion of the frame; a conveyor configured to transfer a paving material from the hopper to the screed along the longitudinal direction; a pair of oval track units disposed on each of the two lateral sides of the frame towards the front portion of the frame; and a pair of high drive track units disposed on each of the two lateral sides of the frame towards the rear portion of the frame.
 2. The paving machine of claim 1, wherein the pair of oval track units is disposed below the hopper.
 3. The paving machine of claim 1, wherein the pair of high drive track units is disposed behind the pair of oval track units and in front of the screed.
 4. The paving machine of claim 1, wherein a height of the pair of oval track units is lower than a height of the pair of high drive track units.
 5. The paving machine of claim 1, wherein the pair of oval track units and the pair of high drive track units are powered independently of each other.
 6. The paving machine of claim 1, wherein each oval track unit of the pair of oval track units comprises an idler wheel and a driving sprocket spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, and an endless track entrained about the idler wheel and the driving sprocket.
 7. The paving machine of claim 1, wherein each high drive track unit of the pair of high drive track units comprises two idler wheels spaced apart in the longitudinal direction and a driving sprocket disposed longitudinally between and vertically above the two idler wheels, and an endless track entrained about the two idler wheels and the driving sprocket.
 8. A paving machine comprising: a frame extending along a longitudinal direction, the frame having a front portion, a rear portion and two lateral sides; a hopper coupled to the front portion of the frame; a screed coupled to the rear portion of the frame; a conveyor configured to transfer a paving material from the hopper to the screed along the longitudinal direction; a pair of one or more bogie wheels disposed on each of the two lateral sides of the frame towards the front portion of the frame; and a pair of high drive track units disposed on each of the two lateral sides of the frame towards the rear portion of the frame.
 9. The paving machine of claim 8, wherein the pair of one or more bogie wheels is disposed below the hopper.
 10. The paving machine of claim 8, wherein the pair of high drive track units is disposed behind the pair of one or more bogie wheels and in front of the screed.
 11. The paving machine of claim 8, wherein a height of the pair of one or more bogie wheels is lower than a height of the pair of high drive track units.
 12. The paving machine of claim 8, wherein the pair of one or more bogie wheels and the pair of high drive track units are powered independently of each other.
 13. The paving machine of claim 8, wherein the pair of one or more bogie wheels comprises two sets of bogie wheels.
 14. The paving machine of claim 8, wherein each high drive track unit of the pair of high drive track units comprises two idler wheels spaced apart in the longitudinal direction and a driving sprocket disposed longitudinally between and vertically above the two idler wheels, and an endless track entrained about the two idler wheels and the driving sprocket.
 15. A paving machine comprising: a frame extending along a longitudinal direction, the frame having a front portion, a rear portion and two lateral sides; a hopper coupled to the front portion of the frame; a screed coupled to the rear portion of the frame; a conveyor configured to transfer a paving material from the hopper to the screed along the longitudinal direction; a pair of oval track units disposed on each of the two lateral sides of the frame towards the front portion of the frame; and a pair of drive wheels disposed on each of the two lateral sides of the frame towards the rear portion of the frame.
 16. The paving machine of claim 15, wherein the pair of oval track units is disposed below the hopper.
 17. The paving machine of claim 15, wherein the pair of drive wheels is disposed behind the pair of oval track units and in front of the screed.
 18. The paving machine of claim 15, wherein a height of the pair of oval track units is lower than a height of the pair of drive wheels.
 19. The paving machine of claim 15, wherein the pair of oval track units and the pair of drive wheels are powered independently of each other.
 20. The paving machine of claim 15, wherein each oval track unit of the pair of oval track units comprises an idler wheel and a driving sprocket spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, and an endless track entrained about the idler wheel and the driving sprocket. 